Memo: Preparation Environment Council, 17 December 2012

The final Environment Council under the Cyprus Presidency will be held in Brussels on 17 December 2012. Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik and Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard will represent the European Commission.

Ministers will begin with Council conclusions on the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources recently adopted by the Commission. This will be followed by a discussion on the annual growth survey, and the greening of the EU semester. The Presidency will inform the Council about progress on the proposed LIFE regulation, and the Directives on Environmental Quality Standards for water (priority substances) and the proposed revision of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

Ministers will take stock of the outcome of the recent Doha climate change conference and discuss next steps towards adoption of a legally binding global climate agreement in 2015 as well as preparations for ratification of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. An orientation debate will be held on the 7th Environmental Action Programme recently proposed by the Commission.